1 Thou bid'st us seek Thee early,
And we shall surely find;
We come, O blessed Jesus,
Our Saviour true and kind!
We come in time of gladness,
We come in hours of grief,
With childhood's joys so transient,
With childhood's sorrow brief.

2 We have not seen the glory
Which Bethlehem's shepherds saw,
Nor heard the midnight anthem
They heard with wondering awe;
In rapturous haste they sought Thee,
The Christ so lowly born;
We, too, would seek Thee early
In life's rejoicing morn.

3 Lord, give us now Thy Spirit;
Grant us Thy constant grace,
Till, having sought Thee early,
At length we see Thy face;
See Thee in cloudless glory,
The Lamb who once was slain;
And join the host of ransomed
Who follow in Thy train.

Amen.